Direction signal for motor vehicles



Deb. 18, 1923.

T. E. CLARK DIRECTION SIGNAL FOR MOTOR VEHICLES PK W M 1 a a T f B Filed Oct. 25

Patented Dec. 18, 1923.

warren stares THOIMAS E. CLARK, OF GRAND RAPIDS, TEICHIGAN.

DIRECTION SIGNAL FOR MOTOR VEHICLES.

Application filed. October 25, 1922.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I. THOMAS E. CLARK, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Grand Rapids, in the county of Kent and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Direction Signals for Motor Vehicles; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to a traflic signal adapted to be used with motor vehicles and operable so as to indicate to a traffic ofiicer in front of the vehicle, and to drivers of other vehicles following behind, the course of the vehicle and any contemplated change in direction thereof. The signal which I have invented is of simple construction, economically manufactured, readily installed on all types of motor vehicles, manually operable either from within the vehicle, as in closed automobiles, orfrom outside of the vehicle as in open vehicles, and in every way is particularly convenient and practical for carrying out thepurposes for which it is designed. The invention comprises many novel features of construction and operation for effectively attaining the ends above enumerated, as well as many others not at this time particularly stated but which will appear fully and in detail as understanding of the invention is had from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the signal of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary horizontal section through the casing enclosing the major portion of the operative mechanism of the invention.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of parts of tne' mechanism, particularly the spring means for holding the signal arrow in any position to which turned, and

Fig. 4: is a fragmentary vertical section illustrative of the means used for adjusting the tension of said spring means.

Like. reference characters refer to like parts in the'different figures of the drawing.

In the construction of the trafiic signal of my invention, a housing or casing is provided having an upper side or top 1, below which is a like bottom 1*, the casing having a verticalback or retreat 2, ends 3 and a,

Serial No 596,721.

an open outer side being left to the casing which is normally closed by a detachable vertical side plate 5, having inwardly turned ends 6 to pass alongside the ends 3 and i. Theplate 5 is held in place by a pin 7 passing downwardly through openings near the edges of the top and bottom 1 and 1. The casing sides, ends and top and bottom are of sheet metal soldered or otherwise permanently secured together. A. short distance from the front end 4, a plate 8 of sheet metal is positioned, at one end riveted at 9 to the inner side 2 and held in place by a short bolt 10, as shown in Fig. 2, the outer edge portion of the plate 8 being bent at right angles to' bear against the end t and space the plate 8 from said end.

A shaft 11 is rotatably mounted in the casing and passes through the ends 3 and t and the plate 8. In the construction shown, a bevelled pinion 12 is threaded on to the shaft and between the pinion and the end 3 of the casing a spacing sleeve 13 is placed around the shaft. A second longer sleeve 14 is located around the shaft; extending from the front side of the pinion to and through the plate 8, at its front end coming against a disk 15, provided with a plurality of spaced apart notches 15 in its edgesand which is threaded on to the shaft and is located between the end 4 and said plate 8. A short collar 16 is placed over the shaft 11 in front of the disk 15, passing through the end 4, and against the front end of this collar an arrow-shaped indicating member 17 is placed, the shaft passing through an opening therein, and the whole is secured n fi ed relation to the shaft by a nut 18 threaded on to its front end against the indicating member 17.

A spring member of wire is associated with the disk 15, comprising a etl-shaped member having substantially parallel legs 19 and 19, integrallv connected at one end, as shown in Fig. 3. Said legs are passed through openings in the end 3 of the casing and extending to and through the plate 8, leg 19 passing through an opening provided therefor, while leg 10* passes through a vertical slot 20 :in the plate and its free end is so positioned that it comes against the disk 15 and may enter any notch 15 therein. To tension the leg 19 a member 21 of sheet metal is provided with a lip 21 at one end which passes through an opening in the bottom 1? of the casing, making a pivotal con;

adjusting through the bottom of the casing. Obviously the tension of the spring leg 19 may be adusted by operation of the screw 22, and it is also clear that if the leg 19 should fail in its functions from any cause, it is only necessary to withdraw the U-shaped member and reverse the positions of the two legs 19 and 19*, whereupon the spring member will be operable as before. j

A tube 23 is secured at one end to the inner or rear side 2 of the casing by means of nuts 28 and may extend horizontally inward therefrom any desired distance, having screw connection at its inner end with a T 24-. A vertical tube 25 is screwed at its upper end into the under side of the T 24 and at its lower end into an elbow26, which in turn has screw connection to a plate or disk 27 adapted to be attached to the dash or other convenient place of support on the vehicle; It is obvious that on account of the wide range of adjustabiiity of this form of bracket support, the attachment to the vehicle may be at any desiredplace substantially and still present the arrow:indicator 17 to the front. And if desired, clamps 28 may be connected to the rod 25 which are adapted to be secured to the supporting frame of the wind shield. The signal accordingly is adapted for attachment to all forms of motor vehicle bodies and is universal in this respect;

In the construction shown, a rod 29 passes through and is rotatably mounted inthe tube 28, extending through and beyond the T 24.. At its inner end within the casing a bevelled pinion 80 is secured and is in mesh with the pinion 12 hereto described. At its other end a hand wheel 31 is secured for manual operation of the rod, it being clear that rotation of the hand wheel turns the shaft 11 and attached indicating arrow 17,

which may be turned to various positions and held therein by the springengagement of the leg 19 with the notchesin disk 15.

' For straight ahead continuation of movement of the vehicle, the arrow is not changed from its vertical position.- A left hand turn is indicated by turning the arrow to point horizontally, and the right handturns and slowing down or stopping signals are indicated by turning the arrow to positions similar .to those now indicated by the hand night, and to accomplish this, the inner edge portion of theiend 4 is formed into a vertical sleeve 4* through which a vertical tube 32 passes and which is held therein by nuts avens 33. At its upper end the tube is bent back upon itself for a short distance and carries a bulb socket 3 1 in which a small electric bulb 35 is carried in front of the arrow. Circuit wires 36 pass through the tubeto the bulb and socket and may be connected with the battery of the vehicle. Obviously any suitable switch of ordinary and well known form may be used for lighting the bulb or turning it out, and the same is not illus trated. I z i r The construction described is simple but practical in all respects. The arrow is clearly visible to the traffic oflicer: in front and to those behind when turned from its normal vertical position. 7 The arrow is also visible and veryrnoticeable to pedestrians who are thus given notice of the. direction of movement of the vehicle, or any contemplated change in itsdirection of movement, this being a feature of valuevin the matter of safety to such pedestrians. The signal as constructed is applicable to losed vehic'es as the operating wheel 31 is within the body of the vehicle, the tube 23 being adapted to pass through a side ofthe body, while the arrow is outside. It is designed that the signal shall be mounted at the left side and substantially at the same plane as thewindshield of the vehicle so that the driver may conveniently operate the signal. .The con struction shown can also be installed on open cars as well, but in open cars, it is not necessary that the operating rod 29 and shaft 11 can be had, at its end extending back of the end 3 of the casing. The construction then is less expensive but the hold ing of the indicating arrow and the mechanism for mounting and operating the same, is the same as before described, less the elementsstated as not needed when direct' manual operation of the shaft 11'is had. 7 V

The invention is defined in the appended claims and it is to. be considered that all forms of structure coming within the scope thereof are comprehended by the invention.

Iclaim: V

1. In a construction of the-classidescribed, a horizontal rotatably mounted shaft, a casing through which the shaft passes, sup-' porting means for the casing adaptedto be] secured to a motor vehicle, anundlcatmg arrow attached to the front end of the shaft in front of the casing, a notched disk on the shaft, and a spring bar mountedin the casing, being secured at one end and hav- 1 ing a free end portion bearing against the disk for holding the arrow in any one of a plurality of positions to which it may be turned on rotation of the shaft, substantially as described. i v p 2.111 a device of the class described, a

' casing having spaced apart sides and ends and top and bottom, a plate secured in the casing in parallel relation to and a short distance from one end of the casing, a shaft extending through the ends of the casing and said plate and being rotatably mounted therein, an indicating member secured at one end of the shaft, a notched disk secured to the shaft between the said plate and adjacent end of the casing, and a U- shaped spring member having substantially parallel legs integrally joined at one end, the legs passing through openings in the end of the casing farthest from the plate, and one of said legs passing through an opening in the plate and the other through a vertical slot in the plate in position to bear against the edges of the disk and seat in the notches thereof when the disk is turned to bring said notches to said leg.

3. A construction containing the elements in combination defined in claim 2, combined with means for adjusting the tension of said leg of the spring member which bears against the disk, substantially as described.

4:- A construction containing the elements in combination defined in claim 2, combined with a member pivotally connected at one end to the bottom of the casing, said member passing under the leg of the spring member which bears against the'disk, and an adjusting screw threaded through the bottom of the casing and against said member to press the same against said leg of the spring member.

5. In a device of the class described, a casing, a shaft horizontally mounted for rotation and passing therethrough, an indicating member fixed on one end of the,

shaft, yielding means for holding the shaft and attached member in any one of a plurality of positions to which they may be moved, a tube secured at one end to a side of the casing and extending horizontally therefrom, and a vertically positioned tube connected at its upper end to the opposite end of the first tube, substantially as described.

6. A construction containing the elements in combination defined in claim 6, combined with a rod passing through said first tube, gearing connections between the shaft and the end of the rod entering the casing through the tube, and an operating member on the opposite end of the rod beyond the end of the tube, substantially as described.

7. In a device of the class described, a casing, a shaft horizontally mounted for rotation in the casing and passing therethrough, an indicating member fixed on one end of the shaft, yielding means for holding the shaft and attached member in any one of a plurality of positions to which they may be moved, a tube secured at one end to a side of the casing and extending horizontally therefrom, a T into which the opposite end of the tube is threaded, a vertical tube threaded at its upper end into the T, an elbow having threaded connection to the lower end of the vertical tube, and a disk to which the opposite end of the elbow has a threaded connection, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

THOMAS E. CLARK. 

